Machu Picchu is located outside of Cusco at an elevation of 8,000 feet/2.430m above sea level. The Spanish conquistadores did not arrive to Machu Picchu, and the Inca people have lived here ever since.

It is recommended that you wear light clothing as the temperature rises during the day.

Day 1: Cusco Arrival (city before Machu Picchu)

Cusco Flight: Flight to Cusco, capital city of the Inca Empire, you will have the opportunity to fly over the beautiful Andes Mountains so get your camera ready! Solstice Tour staff would be at the airport for your on-time Cusco hotel transfer. We highly recommend this extra leisure day since most travelers are flying over 10 hours to arrive and must acclimatize to the region.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel (unless arriving from home country in afternoon).

Day 2: Cusco City Tour (Inca Capital City)

Cusco Tour: After early breakfast we begin the Cusco tour and visit the indigenous sites in the heart of the Inca Empire. We will visit the ancient ceremonial grounds of Inca royalty and Sacsayhuamn fortress of the Inca army.

The ruins of Qenko are the ancient Inca's ceremonial location where only nobility were permitted to enter. The ruins have been preserved well for the past 500 years.

Koricancha is the Sun Temple where once the Inca Empire kept the mummies of past Inca rulers and the mummies of conquered nations. The Spanish conquistadores had forced the Inca people to remove the stones from Sacsayhuaman to construct a church addition to Koricancha.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Inca (Valle Sagrado)

Sacred Valley Tour: Excursion through the Sacred Valley to see how the Inca became a powerful civilization. We will travel through the very epicenter of the Inca Empire, passing through the Calca and Urubamba regions.

Ollantaytambo, these ruins were the heavily protected area where native people from the jungle would pass to enter the Inca capital city of Cusco. Along the way we will visit ruins of Inca outposts and original terrace farming, where we will see still being used by the original Inca descendants.

Please take the opportunity to photograph the roaming llamas! We will visit Pisac, a typical indigenous market, where there you can purchase native crafts and gift for home.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch in Sacred Valley.

Day 4: Machu Picchu Tour (train from Cusco)

Machu Picchu Tour: Early morning Machu Picchu train on the Vistadome train passing through the lush greenery of Peru and arriving to the town of Aguas Calientes.

Short bus ride to begin our Machu Picchu tour of the ancient city now one of the Wonders of the World. After the tour you will take the bus to transfer down to the town of Aguas Calientes for the Cusco train.

We recommend that you select the "Machu Picchu Overnight Option" to stay in Aguas Calientes hotel for an extra day entrance to Machu Picchu and hike up Huayna Picchu.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel, Snack on train.